New Beer Weekend #6

Do you like to hike?

My wife and I like to hike and we have often done hikes in what is referred to as the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania. Principally we have hiked to the top of Hawk Mountain to see the migration of hawks and vultures for their fall migration and we have done the hike to Pulpit Rock and the Pinnacle during all times of the year. Which brings us to the theme of one of the beers I will be discussing today: Troegs Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this beer goes to helping protect the 185 miles of the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania.

I have never actually thought about it before but I am now wondering what is the background of the name “Kittatinny”. With the power of the internet I learned that Kittatinny is the anglicized spelling of the Lenape Indian name Kitahtëne which means big mountain. You learn something new every day.

The beer of Trail Day has already been discussed in a thread on BA and there was some discussion about whether this beer will be much different from the Troegs year-round beer of Sunshine Pils. I figured it would be fun to compare the two.

First, some descriptions of these two beers courtesy of the Troegs website:

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner

This is the beer you want in hand when your compass lands you at trail’s end. Starting with a backbone of German pilsner malt, this refreshing pils is dry-hopped with mildly citrusy and earthy Saaz hops. As fermentation slows, we reintroduce fresh lager yeast, conditioning the beer and delivering crisp and clean notes of biscuit, dried spice and a hint of citrus. And beneath all that is a foundation of good. When you buy a Trail Day, you’re helping protect the Kittatinny Ridge, a 185-mile Appalachian superhighway that provides clean water, rich forests and safe passage for migratory wildlife.

We taste: crisp biscuit notes, dried spice and a hint of citrus

5.0% Abv

Ibu

Malt: German Pilsner

Hops: Saaz

Yeast: House Lager”

Sunshine Pils

It takes the right ingredients, people and processes to nail the complex balance of two-row barley, zesty Saaz hops and lager yeast. Secondary fermentation creates natural carbonation that delivers soft notes of fresh-cut straw and flowering herbs. In the end, this bright and refreshingly clean American craft pilsner is our go-to when the sun is shining and makes us happy when skies are gray.

We taste: bright citrus, flowering herbs, honeyed biscuit

4.5% Abv

45 Ibu

Malt: Pilsner

Hops: Hersbrucker, Saaz

Yeast: Lager

Color: Straw / Golden”

So, these beers ‘read’ quite similar with the difference being:

· A difference of ABV from 5% to 4.5%

· Trail Day is solely hopped with Saaz hops

· Trail Day has the extra hop step of Dry Hopping

For some reason Troegs did not list the IBUs for Trail Day.

Prior to conducting a side-by-side tasting I will elicit help from my lovely wife to conduct a triangle test using small opaque plastic cups (i.e., a blind tasting). The same beer will be poured into two cups and the other beer is one. The purpose of the triangle test is to see if the taste tester (me) can correctly detect the ‘odd’ beer. Let the test begin!



I was fairly certain which was the odd beer simply by smelling the three samples. After taking small sips I was able to confirm which was the odd beer. When I pointed to the odd sample my wife asked: “Which of the beers is the odd beer?” I quickly responded “Train Day” and she replied: “Correct”. While they two beers has similarities they were noticeably different for my palate.

Now, time for the side-by-side tasting.

Served in my Polish Pilsner Glasses:

Appearance:

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner: Straw colored with a white head.

Sunshine Pils: same

Aroma:

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner: The first impression is citrus (lemony) but in the background there is some bready malt.

Sunshine Pils: A balanced aroma of herbal/spicy from the hops and bready malt.


Taste:

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner: The flavor follows the nose with mostly citrus (lemony) and some bready flavors in the background but as the beer warms/opens up there is a subtle yet noticeable flavor of butter (i.e., diacetyl). There is a low-moderate bitterness.

Sunshine Pils: The flavor follows the nose with a pleasant balance of herbal/spicy flavors along with bready malt flavor. There is a firm bitterness.

Mouthfeel

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner: Light-medium bodied with a dry finish.

Sunshine Pils: Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall

Trail Day Dry-Hopped Pilsner: I suppose good overall. I really enjoyed the first half of this beer where the predominant flavors were citrus (lemony) with a hint of bready flavor but as the beer warmed up the butter flavors appeared. This butter flavor was not very prominent but it was there and I am personally not a fan of perceptible diacetyl in beer.

Sunshine Pils: This beer is very good! A very enjoyable balance of hop flavors (herbal/spicy) and bready malt flavor.

I had two beers to drink so I offered one to my wife. She took two quick sips and stated “I will take this one”. The beer she selected was Sunshine Pils.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @ESHBG @BeastOfTheNortheast @hillind @jonphisher

 

I bought a bunch of exciting new beers this week but my greediness and impatience made me try them all before the weekend even arrived. So I now got nothing new in the fridge, even though it's packed. I very much enjoy reading your reviews though so bring them on!

 

Thanks for tagging @JackHorzempa these threads have been getting very full so I may have missed. Nice to read yours and @ESHBG reviews of this one.

 

Thanks for kicking things off this weekend, @SawDog505 ! I don't typically drink the style you kicked the thread off with, but between the picture and your review, I definitely wouldn't hesitate buying a four pack.

Starting my Saturday as I have the past two with beer 3 of 4 in the Lake Effect School of Brett small batch series. These are saisons, a different yeast strain was added to three of the four (the final being the base offering), all four were aged for 8 months in unidentified red wine barrels.



This is a 6.2% saison aged 8 months in red wine barrels. Brett Anomolus was added.

Aroma: Golden tan pour, bright white bubbly head last for a few minutes, leaving spotty thin lacing. This beer is lighter in appearance compared to the OYL-215 Bruxellensis pour. 4.25.

Aroma: Bold sweeter than the previous two pours, funky tart grape, some grass and citrus as well. 4.0.

Taste: Different taste profile, sweet red wine grapes, lemon citrus back. Tangerine and melon emerge a few minutes after first taste, very nice. 4.25.

Mouthfeel: Consistent mouthfeel, fine light fizzy carbonation lingers throughout, sweeter than the initial the pours, same clean finish. Slight sweet tongue tingling sensation with this one. 4.25.

Overall: This is my favorite of the three offerings, the subtle differences in taste profile and increased sweetness has the boldest and most refreshing taste. Another great Lake Effect offering, one more Bruxellensus with a different strain of Brett to close out the 2020 School of Brett next Saturday. 4.25

 

Pours a nice hazy amber golden color with a nice head and slight lacing
Aroma has generous tropical and citrus hints
The taste follows the nose with a nicely balanced tropical and citrus flavor
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A well done and nicely balanced IPA

 

Good morning BAs! Today’s first new to me beer is “Rock Wall Campfire Stout”, a s’mores inspired imperial stout from Kettlehead Brewing Company, Tilton NH:



Brewed with marshmallows, graham crackers, vanilla, chocolate and milk sugar. This beer came to me as part of an IP trade last week with @Ocalafox with an assist from @SawDog505...let’s go!

Fast fizzy light brown head sits atop dark brown almost black, with ruby edges, liquid poured at 55 degrees; poor cap retention, no ring, lace nor legs. Marshmallow, vanilla, graham cracker nose. Taste is marshmallow whip and sweet vanilla ice cream; no perceivable chocolate; some light graham cracker on back end. Medium minus body verging on light; light carbonation; no warmth from 9.6% abv. Overall, it smells like a s’mores; kinda thin for an imperial stout; I enjoyed the vanilla ice cream aspect.

3.75 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.75 | 4.0
Score: 3.96 rDev - 2.7%

Thanks Vann and Tim!

 

Pours a nice hazy amber color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has generous caramel malt and slight spice hints
The taste follows the nose with a nicely balanced caramel malt and slight spice flavor
A medium bodied well carbonated crisp beer
A well done and nicely balanced American Amber Lager

 

Almost getting cool enough to start hiking again here

 

@JackHorzempa , Loved your hiking centric post, the backstory of the beer and trail, and review. I love walking, average 6 miles a day and if a company can invent a drone which could stay powered for days and carry my provisions, would love to through hike the AP. I'll have to settle for shorter hikes in the interim. Great to be in nature and love hitting the Forest Preserve during less crowded hours when I'm unable to travel to the national and state parks, as I have been Chicago locked since the lock downs began.

Second morning pour, this one a Double Dry Hopped Double India Pale Ale brewed by Half Acre called Logue.



Tale of the Tape: A pint canned 7/30/20 at 10:16, 8% ABV, with no listed IBU online or on the can. The online brewer notes can be found here, with Cashmere and Sabro the listed primary hops, and Amarillo, one of my favorites, set to compliment. Multiple pours into a nonic glass. Single can purchased at 8/22 Beer on the Wall ($5 w/ tax).

Appearance: Hazy orange tan pour, generous creamy bright white lacing leaves ample fine lacing after a few minutes. Carbonation not visible through the murky pour. 4.0

Aroma: Sweet fruity aroma, bold citrus and lemon leads, dank. The Sabro lurks beneath, providing fine fruity and coconut backing. Very nice.4.25

Taste: Nice balanced pour, bold citrus lemon subdued by heavy bitterness, which I enjoy. Sweet tongue tingling with certain sips, as the sweetness tries to reclaim its place. Tangerine, pinneaple and coconut emerge as well. This is a very flavorful and enjoyable pour, in the Half Acre mold. The bitter balance stronger than in most Half Acre offerings. This is my favorite new offering of 2020 from this brewer after a few earlier pours yielding mixed results. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Creamy medium rich body, carbonation holds throughout, as does the interplay between sweetness and bitterness, seesawing their sway throughout the pour. Slightly dry, very nice unique balance, easy drinking at this higher ABV, clean finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a very good offering by Half Acre. Taste consistent with the Half Acre style, though backed by better balance and a bountiful flavor profile I really enjoyed. I'm glad I picked up this single, and will look for more down the road. 4.25.

May have one more today or return tomorrow for new beers to close out the weekend.

 

We live in a forest/park and walk twice a day, four to six miles. Three years ago I planted Buckeye seeds all around choice spots and now new Buckeyes are growing in the park. Today I planted eight peach pits and two walnuts in choice locations. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Cheers to the woods!

 

Pours a nice clear golden color with a nice head and lacing
Aroma has grainy and fruity hints
The taste follows the nose with a grainy and fruity flavor
A light bodied decently carbonated crisp beer
A nice Blonde Ale

 

Ok, since I'm somewhat stuck inside today, I figure I'll have some beer.

We recently received a shipment from Aslin, which had a couple new IPAs that the GF ordered. I'm on record for saying a lot of the Aslin regular strength IPAs are similar - and I say that having them at different times. I don't mean they all taste exactly the same, but have many similar aspects - strength of taste/nose, fell, etc. But I also mean the tastes aren't all that dissimilar.

So today, I have two offerings - one 6.5% and another 5.5%, which is enough of a spread that I expect some differences. However, I'll share them with the GF and I'll try to dissect the similarities and differences, if any exist.

So, Crack a Rat (5.5%) has Cittra and Sabro hops, and Moral Grandstanders (6.5%)has Mosaic, Amarillo and Waimea - so I'm thinking there should be some easily discernible differences.

The lighter beer (Crack a Rat) has a lighter, less hazy/cloudy look - a little more shiny yellow golden than the matter yellow gold of Moral Grandstanders. The heavier beer has some chunks suspended in it, mostly near the bottom, making it the uglier of the two. Initial head is a little more impressive on the bigger beer, but both sustain fairly well.


As expected, the feel is a little fuller on the bigger and cloudier beer, which also has a smoother feel to it. Moral Grandstanders is about medium in heft and medium in thickness while Crack a Rat is light straining to be medium, with a cleaner feel overall.

Crack a Rat gives me some peach fuzz and a bit of coconut - woody shell and suntan lotion. From what others have mentioned and my own experience with Citra, I'm sure the latter it the Sabro. There is some lightly pungent grassy more than pine greenness as well.

I am noticing something I think is similar about these and other beers. Could be the house yeast, but I think it's the adjunct influence - be it oat or wheat or both. It's not overly distinctive in these beers individually, but the commonalities are evident. That aside, Moral Grandstanders is a bit more tropical and juicy smelling, and obviously missing the coconut aromas. I'm getting pineapple and mango rind, with a bit some citrus rind in the nose.

Crack a Rat seems to have a whea -like influence to the malt (whether present or not), along with unsweetened coconut and green banana. More coconut in midtaste as the Citra comes in to add some citrus pith. There's a subdued oat/pine ending with a light lingering bitterness.

Moral Grandstanders starts a tad sweeter, but not much. There's more influence from the fruit - though my best description of watered down pineapple, peach, tangerine would tend to suggest weaker flavors. What I mean is that combined, they form a "juicier" taste even though the individual notes are somewhat dulled. A fruit skin/rind bitterness balances the sweeter juice, with a more neutral ending than Crack a Rat.

So, the coconut distinction is a huge difference in the nose and taste of these beers. I actually think the Mosaic and Citra show their influence a bit - as I perceive Citra as a more bitter hop with Mosaic being more fruity. I do still feel there is a fair amount of similarities in these beers, and I think if I had to put it into a single word it would be "subdued." Outside of the coconut, which seems restrained nicely by the Citra notes, all the other notes seem a little muted for one reason or another.

Ok, so the GF says she likes "the Rat one" better; when pressed, she said it's "less bitey" than the other. I can say my reasoning for liking the same beer better is not that - it's the relatively stronger back end bitterness (plus I like coconut, and Citra hops).

Cheers to you who review brew new to you in this venue!!

 

Haha - how can one hone in their "drink local" chops if they can't pinpoint the area exactly? I will say I've got a slightly better aspect of where smaller towns (beyond suburban areas) are in VA due to the brewing boom.

I recall in college, there were a lot of people from where I now live, Northern Virginia. It was interesting how specific they got in their answer to a common question that all freshmen receive, "where are you from?" I learned that each of my dormmates were from about 4 or 5 different places, all of which make sense... now.

 

Zombie Dust an undead Pale Ale from 3 Floyds Brewing. This is a brew I've been wanting to try for a long time. 3 Floyds came to NJ recently and this was seen on a shelf earlier this week , I picked up 2 cans at that time. One was enjoyed that day. The second is being drunk now. Zombie Dusk is a well known and is held in held in very high regard by beer lovers. It's rated 100 and ranked as the #1 American Pale Ale by Beer Advocate. I have no idea what the grain bill is. The only hop used is Citra. It lives up to it's hype. Poured into a red wine glass it's clear amber with a long lasting white head. The aroma is strong mostly fruits some grain. The taste is awesome combo of malts and fruit. The mouthfeel is full and the finish is dry. An excellent beer. I hope to be able to buy this often.